Might Be
by Hermione2be
Summary: Harry and Ginny are enjoying Fleur and Bill's wedding when suddenly everything changes. The two must now not only find out what has happened to friends and family but learn enough to change the past. Timetravel HG.
1. Arrival2Wedding

Harry looked longingly at the Burrow; more than anything he wanted to just go in and enjoy the wedding. But how could he, Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, last hope of the human race, drop his guard for one moment before he defeated Voldemort? He had only fourteen days until he would be seventeen and of-age.

The Burrow was warm and inviting as he approached the brightly lit house. From where he stood Harry could see a small portion of the Weasley family at the dinner table eating and laughing. Hermione could be seen too, sitting next to Ron and across from….

"Ginny," the name quietly escaped Harry's lips.

Ginny looked up at the window and jumped up, "Harry!" Hermione, Ron, Arthur, and Molly all looked up too.

Harry put on his best smile and walked completely to the door as it was swung open by Molly Weasley. She quickly engulfed him in a hug and pulled him inside.

"You should have told us you were coming, Harry, my dear," Molly said with a slight anger in her voice, "you could have been hurt or captured or…" she shivered.

"What I'm sure Molly means is 'you shouldn't have come by yourself, but we are glad to see you and have you here'."

"Thank you Mr. Weasley," Harry smiled sheepishly, "I fear I was going a little stir-crazy and was a bit anxious to get out before I had time to completely think it out."

"Well no harm done, right?" Ron piped in.

"No," Molly repeated, "no harm done. Harry we are glad to see you. Are you hungry we were just finishing dinner but there is always more left over when I'm only cooking for five."

"No, thank you," Harry replied. He was looking around his friends standing in front of him and searching for Ginny but she seemed to have slipped out.

"Come on Harry," Hermione said thoughtfully, "We'll talk while Ronald does the dishes."

They reached the stairs and Hermione pulled Harry up them. "How long have you been here?"

"Two days," Hermione replied, "shhh!" Hermione pressed a finger to her lips as they arrived at the platform to Ginny's room. Hermione released Harry's hand and pressed an ear to the door. The light was on and no noise was made.

Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and dragged him silently up the rest of the stairs. When they entered Ron's room Hermione closed the door only to have it open again by Ron seconds later.

"Mum let me off the hook," Ron informed them, "so what's up?"

"What's wrong with Ginny?" Harry asked.

"She's angry," Hermione pointed out.

"At me?"

Hermione made a face. "Yes and no. You broke up with her, but she saw it coming, but you asked her out, but she knows what you have to do…"

"And wants to come with us," Ron added. Hermione nodded.

Harry stared at his hands, he felt so guilty and yet at the same time he knew he was doing the right thing. Harry put his head in his hands, "Maybe it was a bad idea to come."

"It would have been worse if you just showed up for the wedding and then took off," Hermione told him.

"She'll get over it," Ron said overly enthusiastically. Harry looked up skeptically.

BR>

It was only three when Harry woke again. He was fully awake and decided to get up. Upon reaching the kitchen he found there was already a person at the table. The only light was a candle on the table.

It was Ginny with an apple and cauldron cake. She turned to see Harry standing on the bottom step in his Gryffindor pajamas.

"Hi," he said.

"Hello," she replied. "You can have a seat."

"Oh," Harry moved to the table and sat, "thank you."

"Why are you up?"

"Why are you?"

"I," Ginny started, "I couldn't sleep."

"Me either."

There was a long silence as Harry took a piece of cauldron and chewed it.

"Is this how it's going to be between us? Awkward and quiet?" Ginny asked.

"It doesn't have to be…"

"Okay then. Let's talk."

"Okay let's…."

They talked all night until Mrs. Weasley came down at five thirty to make breakfast and found them still at the table with three eaten apple and cauldron cakes.

BR>

The wedding madness lasted until the wedding, which was four days before Harry's birthday. Fleur and Bill were to be married in the backyard of the Burrow. And everyone was there. The twins, Charlie, Fleur's sister Gabrielle, strange relatives from both sides, and Hogwarts friends. Only Percy didn't appear, and the family was content not to mention it. With an hour left before the wedding those not involved in the ceremony were asked to go out of the house.

Harry and Hermione waved good-bye to Ginny and Ron before slipping outside. They ended up at the lake near the edge of the property. They were dressed in their best occasion dress robes so they stood staring at the lake.

"How are things going with Ginny?" Hermione asked. Harry gave her a sideways look, "I mean she doesn't seem mad at you any more."

"We're talking, just talking, nothing serious."

"Scared?"

"Terrified. You?"

"The same. We stand so close to the edge, and all our past, our family, our friends, our future teeter there with us." They were silent for a long time each contemplating the truth of that statement.

"Hermione…"

"Yes Harry?"

"Think things will ever be normal?"

"Between you and girls? No. The world, normal, with you in it? Not very likely, but then again, it wouldn't survive without you in it too." Hermione told him hugging him.

"Thanks," Harry said kissing her on the top of the head, "How are things between you and Ron?"

Hermione gave him a questioning look, "What do you mean?"'

Harry laughed, "Just tell him if he hurts my family I'll hurt him."

"Harry," Hermione had tears in her eyes, "do you mean it?"

"Absolutely, you are my sister Hermione," Harry assured her, "And I don't want anything to happen to you. Especially Ron."

Hermione laughed as a trumpet went off announcing that guests should be seated for the ceremony. "Come on Harry."

BR>

The wedding was beautiful and even the twins managed to behave, but Harry had a sneaking suspicion that had to do with Katie and Alicia. Neville had come with his grandmother and Lupin and Tonks were there along with most of the Order. The Browns came too and Lavender seemed to be avoiding looking at Ron or Hermione.

A phonograph played wizarding songs while Lee Jordan took requests. An upbeat one had been playing for a minute when Harry headed to where Ginny was talking with Gabrielle. Gabrielle saw him over Giny's shoulder.

"'Arry, 'Arry! It iz so go'd to zee yo' again." She yelled walking close to him.

"It's good to see you too, Gabrielle," He stepped around her, "Ginny, a dance?"

"Gladly," Ginny took his opened hand, "excuse us Gabrielle."

Gabrielle's face looked as though it had been smacked, "a Veela's charm always works…"

"…unless the boy haz found 'iz true luve," Fleur reminded her sister, causing Gabrielle to frown.

"So," Ginny asked, "how much longer do you plan on staying?"

"We will leave the day after my birthday," Harry told her as they reached the dance floor and the songs changed to a slow song.

"We can sit," Ginny said at Harry's hesitation.

"I asked you to dance," Harry told her, "so let's dance. Never know when I may have another chance to do this."

Ginny nodded as he pulled her in close. Setting his hands on her hips as she slid hers around his neck. Looking into his eyes Ginny let the rest of the world fade away. Harry felt his emotions well up in him, but he was determined not to lessen his resolve about not going out with her anymore.

"_Friends," Ginny told him the night he arrived, "we can just be friends, right?"_

_Harry gulped, "Yes just friends…"_

It had killed him to say it as he felt it was unfair to her, as well as himself. So here he stood with a girl who turned his insides inside-out and they were just friends, dancing around the floor. Ginny smiled at Harry and he just let himself be in the moment and smiled back. Ginny rested her head against Harry's chest. This moment would forever be imprinted in Harry's mind as the time he could have had everything.

Then the song ended….


	2. Reception2Grimmauld

Harry and Ginny moved apart as the music changed. Harry walked Ginny off the dance floor. "Thank you," Ginny said, "for the dance."

"No," Harry told her, "thank you." It was an awkward moment before Neville turned up.

"Ginny, may I have a moment with you?"

"Sure," Ginny said.

"Excuse us Harry." Neville nodded to Harry as he and Ginny walked out of the reception.

"You shouldn't be mad at them," Hermione told Harry.

"What?"

"You let her go, maybe Neville isn't as willing to let go."

"I didn't let her go!"

"No, you pushed her away-"

"That's not fair I was tryin-"

"Which you did to protect yourself," Ron piped in from behind Harry.

Hermione nodded.

"Can we not do this now?"

Both nodded.

BR>

The rest of the day went off without a hitch. As the night progressed relatives and friends filtered out leaving the twins with their girlfriends, Lee Jordan, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Charlie, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Lupin, and Tonks. Bill and Fleur had slipped out to go on their honeymoon when night fell.

As Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Charlie, Lupin, and Tonks talked at a table. The twins danced with Katie, and Alicia. Ron and Hermione danced and laughed. Harry had gone down to the lake and was tossing pebbles into it and watching the moon rising from behind the trees.

"Hiding?" said a voice behind him.

Harry looked up to see Ginny, "no, practicing for a battle with a troll."

"I thought you and Ron had figured that one out six years ago."

"We'll I'm rather attached to my wand," Harry said smiling.

"And you don't trust Ron to do such spells?"

"Exactly."

There was a moment before Ginny asked, "Do you hear that?"

"What?" Harry stood quickly. "All I can hear is the music and noise from the reception."

"I don't know," Ginny replied, "It sounds hollow, like the wind but not-"

"I hear it," Harry said. The sound sent shivers up Harry's spine and he gripped his wand from his pocket. Ginny leaned down and pulled her wand from the thigh of her green bridesmaid dress. The sound got louder and louder then stopped.

Harry and Ginny were back to back looking all around. Silence descended upon them. Everything seemed the same the moon was still slowly rising from the East. The lake looked untouched and the trees' branches swayed tot the gentle breeze.

Then Ginny heard it or rather didn't, "Harry, the music stopped."

Harry stood still listening with all his might. She was right the reception had come to a halt. "Come on Gin." Harry held out his hand and Ginny took it. They ran, around the lake, straight for the reception but halted at the top of the hill that looked down on the Burrow from the lake.

However there was no reception tent or Burrow, instead there was a half-healed patch of burnt Earth where the Burrow once stood.

Ginny stared down at the spot, "What happened?" she choked out.

"I don't know," Harry said tensing as his senses went into over time. "Come on Gin we have to get a closer look."

Ginny nodded. As they walked closer they found it harder and harder to breathe the devastation was unbelievable. The Burrow was gone, the Weasley's house; Ginny's childhood vanished.

"What happened?" Ginny cried falling to her knees on the edge of the scorched area.

Harry kneeled behind her, "I'm sure they all got away." He then looked at the grounds, no bodies were evident. The ground in front of Ginny looked to be healing. "It looks like this happened months ago."

Ginny looked at the ground, nodding. "We need to get to Grimmauld Place."

Harry tensed at the idea.

"If something happened it would be the one place they'd go besides Hogwarts." Ginny told him, unshed tears sparkling in her chocolate brown eyes.

Harry pulled her into the standing position and pulled her to him. As she started to cry he was able to choke out, "we'll find them Gin."

BR>

As they reached the road Harry had in mind to signal the Knight Bus. "We should disguise ourselves." He stated before reaching the road.

"How? We can't go into town that defeats the purpose. And we can't use Magic." Ginny said skeptically, "can we?"

"I don't see why not," Harry said thinking about the spells that he knew.

"I only know one that changes little things for a short amount of time, two hours at the most." Ginny informed Harry after a moment.

"That's more than I know," Harry said.

Ginny taught Harry the spell and changed her hair to a brown color and gave her eyes a green hue. Harry made his hair a brown color and longer covering his scar and added blue to his eyes. Ginny made her dress robe into a pair of pants and shirt. She then did the same for Harry.

"Better?" he asked when she was done.

"No," she told him without looking up from straightening her shirt. When she did look up she continued, "nothing beats the original one of a kind Harry Potter." She said cheekily. "Can we go now?"

"Yeah," he raised his wand to the road.

It was just a moment before the sputtering could be heard and the huge purple bus halted in front of Harry and Ginny.

"Where to?" a young man asked, his name-tag said Ben.

Harry responded quickly, "Grimmauld Place, London."

"Yes sir that will be nine Sickles and seven Knuts."

"How long?" Ginny asked.

"An hour or so," Ben responded.

Harry and Ginny sat down on one of the beds. They were quiet for a long time, watching the passing streets and theorizing as to what happened to the Burrow.

"They're okay," Ginny said to herself beside Harry.

"I'm sure they are," Harry said wrapping his arms around her, "we'll figure this out."

Ginny leaned back against Harry as she tried to relax. It was only a few moments before Ginny fell asleep in Harry's arms. Harry smiled as he watched her sleep. It was nearly one in the morning when the Knight Bus shuttled to a halt and Ben shouted, "Grimmauld Place, London. Next stop the Ministry of Magic, London."

Harry and Ginny watched the bus disappear before walking down Grimmauld Place they stopped between number eleven and number thirteen. Harry repeated in his mind the message Mad-Eye Moody had given him the first time he arrived at this spot.

Slowly the house appeared, "A year seems to have done it horribly," Ginny whispered. Harry nodded in agreement the walls seemed almost brown and the windows were impossible to see through. Ginny made for the door but Harry grabbed her hand and motioned to his wand. Ginny nodded and pulled her wand out.

Harry reached the door, which seemed to jump open in front of him. Harry had Ginny's hand held tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. When they had fully entered the house Ginny carefully closed the door. The place was dark except a strip of light that barely shined through from under the door of the kitchen.

Harry kept Ginny's hand locked behind him as he approached the door. When Harry cracked open the door he saw Mrs. Weasley, the twins and four others around the table.

Harry opened the door fully, the light from the candles flooded onto himself and Ginny next to him. They barely had time to take in the scene or say anything as within seconds both were pinned to the ground. Harry had a wand pushed to his temple by a dark haired boy and Ginny was being held down by a brown haired girl.

"How did you get in here?" the boy hissed.

"I own this house," Harry defended.

"The men who owned this property are all gone." The girl yelled, "now tell the truth or the girl gets it."

"Sirius died over a year ago," Harry told the rather largely built man on top of him, "I own it but allow the Order to use it, and Lupin to live in it."

"You lie, Sirius died years ago," the boy told Harry.

"I watched him die!" Harry yelled, "a year ago."

"No!" the boy roared back, "I watched him die! Sixteen years ago!" The lights in the room were turned up.

The boy who had Harry pinned looked more to be a man of forty. His face was scarred, his eyes cold and heartless.

"Neville?" Ginny asked, "Neville," then looking at the girl pinning her, "Katie."

Neville's eyes went wide, "it can't be." He slowly removed his wand from Harry's throat as Katie stood up.

"What's going on here?" Ginny demanded. Mrs. Weasley was leaning hard on the table.

"What happened to you?" Harry asked recognizing the other two people as the Creevey brothers.

"Harry?" Fred asked timidly

"Ginny?" George leaned in.

"Yes?" Harry asked the entire room staring at him like they hadn't done for as long as he had known them.

"It can't be," Neville repeated.

"What can't be?" Ginny asked angrily.

"You…here…" Katie replied.

"What about us?" Harry asked.

"You guys disappeared," Neville breathed, "exactly fifteen years ago…"


	3. Ron2Hermione

_Disclaimer:_ I dont' own HP or related characters

Thanks for the reviews. Keep tellin' me what you think. _**Hermione2be**_

"Fifteen years ago, during Fleur and Bill's wedding reception. We searched, secretly, for weeks without any luck. Kingsley kept his ears open but there was never even a rumor of what happened to you…"

"Which means one of two things," Katie said approaching the two confused teens, "Either this is a trick and your really good look-a-likes or something has really been screwed up this time."

"I swear we're Harry and Ginny." Harry said.

"How are we to know that?" Colin said darkly.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other a moment before Ginny spoke. "Neville you took me outside to talk just after Harry and I finished dancing."

"Anyone could know that-"

"But they wouldn't know what he said to me," Ginny continued. Neville kneeled so that Ginny could whisper in his ear. As Ginny talked Neville's eyes widened.

"My Lord…" Neville said staring at the two before standing and picking Ginny up, "It's you!" He swung her around and moment before setting her down.

"How do you know that?"

"Ginny and I had a very important conversation at that wedding, it was the last thing I said to her before she disappeared."

Sobs echoed from the other side of the room where Molly had been forgotten.

"My baby girl!" she said engulfing Ginny in a bear hug. "Harry!" She had each of them on a shoulder and was weeping her eyes out.

"Mum, Mum, Please. MUM!" Ginny said finally getting free enough to look at her mother. Mrs. Weasley had aged years beyond her. The fifteen years look like it had been twenty-five or thirty. Her face had more wrinkles and the tears that flowed looked like they had made canyons in her cheeks.

_It's like she hasn't stopped crying in fifteen years._ Ginny thought.

"Where have you been?" George asked.

"We haven't been anywhere," Harry said as Mrs. Weasley pushed them to sit down, " Ginny joined me at the lake during the reception to talk. Then we went back down the hill and the Burrow was gone. All there was, was a burnt piece of Earth." At this Mrs. Weasley, who was preparing a meal in the kitchen started crying again.

"That happened less than a year ago," Fred informed Harry and Ginny. Fred and George no longer looked so much a like. Fred looked older, more worn. George had short hair and a scar across his jaw that extended to his neck and into his shirt. Ginny shivered at the difference.

Harry looked again at Neville, "Fifteen years?"

"Yes Harry, fifteen long, dark years," Neville said sadly. "Time has not done me well," Neville gingerly touched his face, "I look much older than thirty-two."

Harry nodded at the comment content not to mention that he looked like Moody.

Colin had stood and was now hugging Ginny, "It's good to see to again," he told her. He had grown to be just taller than Harry, he was lean and agile. Both he and Dennis seemed very somber. In thinking about it, the entire group seemed very somber and Katie had an underlying anger that she didn't hide.

"So what has happened since we last saw you?" Ginny said trying to break the silence as Mrs. Weasley entered with a meager about of food.

In response to her question the seven people in the room looked at each other.

"Where's Ron and Hermione?" Harry asked thinking of his two best friends living their lives together.

Mrs. Weasley continued to cry and walked out the room to collect herself. Neville seemed to harden again and the air was filled with an electric tension.

"What?" Ginny asked, no one even looked up. Harry felt his heart get caught in his throat as all sorts of scenarios ran through his head. "Where are they?" Ginny asked grabbing the tables so hard her knuckles turned white.

"Are they dead?" Harry heard himself ask.

"Hermione is right upstairs," Neville said slowly, "working on something…"

"And Ron?" Ginny asked.

"Died nearly seven years ago," Fred said.

The tears fell down Harry's face before he'd completely registered what had been said. Ginny seemed in a state of shock.

"Breathe, Gin!" Fred said taking her hand, "Breathe."

Ginny took a sudden breath and dissolved into tears. She clung to Harry as her body was racked with sobs. Harry just held her, his own tears falling onto Ginny's. They held each other for some immeasurable amount of time, when Harry finally looked up at the group it struck him that there was more. However, he didn't ask, he was afraid to know. It was only a few more moments before Ginny quieted and pulled herself together. She sniffled refusing to look up at the people she once knew.

The silence was deafening, as Harry looked at the other six in the room then back at Ginny. She looked up at Harry without saying a word.

"Are there beds and clothes to sleep in?" Harry asked.

"There's a few rooms to chose from," Fred said.

"But I think only the room you and Ron shared when you stayed here would be appropriate," George continued.

"Your trunk is in there as is Ginny's."

At Harry's confused look George continued, "Mum wanted to save your things where they'd be safe. So everything of yours left at the Burrow was brought here and Ginny's things. They haven't moved from that room since the Order stopped searching."

Harry nodded.

"Ginny can stay in one of the other rooms," Katie piped in gently.

Ginny's hand on Harry's arm clutched violently causing Harry to wince. "No," he said calmly, "it will be okay."

Neville nodded somberly. "You know where it is I'm sure."

Harry stood half-leading, half-carrying Ginny. They made it through the door, feeling the eyes of everyone on their backs. When they reached the stairs Harry leaned down and caught Ginny's knees around his arm and carried her.

"Harry…"

"I know Gin."

Upon reaching the door Harry opened it easily, finding the light however was difficult. Gently he set Ginny on the closest bed. Then lit his wand "_Lumos_". He found the light and turned it on. The room was much the way he had last seen it, dustier but the same. At the end of the beds were trunks.

"Ginny," Harry said reading the trunk at the end of the other bed.

"Yes, Harry?"

"Just reading your name on your trunk."

"My trunk doesn't have my name on it."

"Well this one does and the other one is mine."

Ginny sat up slowly before standing and walking to beside Harry. "That's not my school trunk," she said slowly bending down to study the trunk. She opened it to find clothes and under those, her diaries and pictures. Things from her room that she treasured.

"There's an inscription on the inside of the lid," Harry pointed out.

"_To our daughter Ginny  
May this trunk carry all your hopes to the heavens  
May everything inside be kept forever_

_May your love be shared by all around you._

_Happy Sixteenth Birthday_

Mum & Dad 

It's a hope trunk," Ginny said.

"They never gave up," Harry said.

Ginny shook her head, "What happened Harry? How did we end up here? And Ron…."

"I don't know Gin," Harry said going to his own trunk, "but I think what we both need is sleep. It's nearly three in the morning." Ginny nodded as she pulled out a lavender nightgown and Harry found his Gryffindor pajamas. Ginny used her wand to change her dress back and Harry's clothes back to occasion robes.

"I'll go change in the loo," Harry offered.

"No, I will."

"Ginny, you don't have to-"

"Yes I do," Ginny replied, "I've got to get this make-up off my face and I could use a shower."

"Oh, okay."

Ginny left the room and made her way to the bathroom. She quietly slipped in and locked the door. Standing in front of the mirror Ginny studied her face wishing that she'd wake up from this horrible nightmare that she feared would only get worse before it got better. Little had changed since the last time she was in this bathroom, her mother had kept it up nicely.

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Harry lay down after he changed telling himself he'd wait up for Ginny. He heard the thunder in the distance as he fell asleep.

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Ginny jumped walking from the bathroom as the thunder boomed over head. She scurried into the bedroom only to find the light still on but Harry asleep. Drying her tears with the back of her hand she tried to calm herself to stop crying, from the things she had thought about in the shower. But it wasn't working. Throwing her things on floor at the end of the bed she hit the lights just in time for a lightning bolt to flash through the window. She sat down heavily on her bed listening to the rain and watching the patterns flash on the wall. Burying her head in her arms to muffle her cries in the bed. At the same time another flash of lightning was accompanied by thunder that shook the house.

Harry awoke grabbing his wand from the bedside table. It only took a moment for him to realize what was happening. In the flashes of light he saw Ginny sobbing into her bed. Quickly he went to her bed kneeling next to it. Tentatively he touched her shoulder. Ginny jumped at his touch but seeing the concern in his face she hugged him weeping into his shoulder. Harry gathered Ginny up and sat on her bed.

"It's okay Ginny," Harry whispered.

"No it's not," she choked back, "There's more they didn't tell and they won't tell us until we ask." A flash of lightning caused Ginny to look at Harry with tears in her eyes, "I'm afraid to ask, to know."

Harry just nodded. It was some time before Ginny relaxed and was calm enough to sleep or at least attempt falling asleep. Harry lay her down, "Don't leave me Harry…"

Harry froze at her voice. He was scared to death of being caught in bed with Ginny. Then he decided to just stay until Ginny fell asleep. _Just until she falls asleep._ Harry told himself before closing his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

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Ginny awoke to a tight pull on her stomach. The light from the window told her it was likely to be just passed noon. And the light snoring from behind her-

_Snoring?_ Ginny thought swiveling her head carefully. She felt her heart skip a beat as she realized it was Harry snoring and Harry's arm around her waist that had woken her. Looking at the room she remembered their predicament. She closed her eyes again hoping that she could just lean against Harry and fall asleep again. However she realized that Harry's snoring had ceased and he lay rigid behind her. Ginny smiled at his problem, move and risk waking her (who he thought was asleep) or stay there hoping she'd not notice him.

Ginny felt his hand on her stomach inching away. She quickly put her hand in his. "Morning Harry," Ginny said feeling just how raw her throat was. Harry stiffened.

"Morning Gin," he croaked. He froze not knowing what to do.

Ginny smiled turning over and propping herself up on one arm to look at him. Harry scooted back enough to look at her. Just over Ginny's head Harry saw a note on the door. He sat up quickly _Somebody came in._

"What's wrong Harry?" Ginny asked.

Harry quickly got up and got the note. "Do you know what this means?" He asked.

"That some one didn't feel a need to wake us," Ginny answered truthfully, stretching.

"Ginny some one…" Harry gulped, "saw-"

"Us together," Ginny finished. "Sleeping together."

Harry frowned at Ginny's nonchalant about it. "Harry you are the only person I know here," She stopped Harry with a finger, "they are my family but they have been through an entire lifetime that we haven't even imagined. So we fell asleep together, I don't see the big deal."

Harry frowned, "They'll think we're together."

"We may have no way of getting back to our-time-reality-thing and your worried about what a bunch of our closest friends think?" Ginny snapped. "What's the note say?"

"_When you two decide to get up, there's food._" Harry read.

Ginny nodded. "Good I'm hungry." She reached for the doorknob when Harry grabbed her wrist.

"I'm sorry Gin," Harry said softly, "I'm still pushing you away. I'm just afraid," his voice dropped. "I don't want to hurt you in any way."

Ginny gave a nod before walking out the door. Harry followed behind her. About halfway down the stairs Ginny abruptly stopped, Harry collided into her. They both would have fallen down the remaining stairs had it not been for Harry's Quidditch reflexes. Instinctively grabbing Ginny around the waist and the wall he insured they both remained standing.

"What's wrong Ginny?" Harry asked.

"I just realized that they said Hermione is here," Ginny said.

"She's probably in the kitchen," Harry said. Ginny nodded and continued down to the kitchen.

Upon entering they found the kitchen exactly as they had left it last night. Neville was at the head of the table, Molly was making food, George was between Fred and Katie, across from Colin and Dennis. _I wonder if they went to bed_ Harry pondered.

When Neville looked up, however, his question was answered. Neville's face was pale and drawn tight like he'd been under fed, his brown eyes were dark and void. Under his eyes were huge black and blue rings. The scars upon his face were very distinct; a spell had sliced his left ear to shreds.

The group silenced upon catching sight of Harry and Ginny. "Talking about us?" Ginny asked at their silence.

"Trying to figure out how you got here," Colin replied.

"And?" Harry asked.

George shook his head.

"Has Hermione come up with anything?" Harry asked sitting next to Ginny.

"We haven't told her anything," Katie replied.

"Why?"

"We were waiting," Fred said, "we hoped you'd tell her."

"Us?"

Neville nodded, clearing his throat, "Hermione hasn't exactly been herself…"


	4. War2Children

Took me a…… very long time. If only an apology would help to make some of you forgive my lapse, but since it probably won't help, here it my next chapter in Might Be

Disclaimer: Yea, I don't own it, but the seventh book comes out SOON!!! And that should be good enough for anybody.

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"Hermione hasn't exactly been herself in quite some time." Neville took one look at Harry and Ginny's confused faces and deliberately avoided looking at them. "Hermione has gone…insane."

Thoughts of Hermione withering under the Crucio Curse filtered through Harry's mind but Ginny asked, "How?"

"Grief," Fred told her, his head bowed low, "between you disappearing and the other deaths she was stretched, close to cracking. When Ron…she just lost it…" Fred said sorrowfully.

"You said last night she was working on something," Harry said.

"Yes," Katie replied, "same thing she's been working on for almost five years, find out what happened to you two." Katie gestured at Harry and Ginny.

"The two years before that she spent vengefully trying to find Lucius Malfoy," George continued, "who killed Ron during the third attack on Hogwarts."

Ginny's head was swimming. She shook it lightly. "Tell us everything," she demanded her voice dropping dangerously low. "Everything…"

Mrs. Weasley set out lunch on a platter and started, in a weary fashion, to eat. No body seemed eager to join.

"You're sure?" Neville stated more than asked. He looked at the others in the room. "Could this at least wait until you've 'reached' Hermione?"

"Reached her?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Molly suspects that Hermione has retreated into her own world. To avoid the deaths of those around her." Neville said sadly, "we have not been able to pull her from the depths of her mind since Ron died."

"She hasn't even cried," George explained, "at first we thought that once Malfoy was killed she'd let her guard down…"

"But when Remus killed him, two years later," Katie recalled, "she didn't even cry. She started babbling to herself. The only understandable thing she has said on the matter is 'it all started with Harry and Ginny – from there we can fix everything' and she locked herself away…"

"I put meals outside the door three times a day," Mrs. Weasley said pushing her plate from herself, "and ever morning I pick up three trays from the door. I have never her seen her as she puts them out."

"We haven't seen her in nearly two years," Fred went on, "we know she's in there working away. We've heard her muttering, throwing things when she is frustrated."

"Often you can listen and tell she is crazy," Colin said, "she talks to you and Ron as though you're there with her. She believes, on some level, that you'd never leave her alone in this world."

"We think you may be able to push aside the insanity," Neville concluded, "if you can convince her it's you."

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Ginny and Harry looked at each other with the feeling that they had dropped, in a sense, through the rabbit hole. As they approached Ginny had a fleeting thought of what Ron would say, about Hermione living in a library, but quickly pushed it from her mind. Harry reached to open the door but received a shock from the doorknob.

"Ouch!" he yelped, shaking his hand up and door in pain.

Ginny took out her wand and pointed it at the door "Alohamora" There was a sharp click from the door and she pushed it open.

The library had little left on it's shelves. All the thousands of books and scrolls were placed haphazardly around the room, or so it appeared to Harry and Ginny. The furniture was still spread around the room a desk, chairs, a side table, a few lamps, and a couch. But there in the little bit of floor left was Hermione her brushy brown hair had been unceremoniously cropped to just above her ears. Her eyes feverishly scanning the page and her mouth moving as a quill ran across a scroll.

The door closed behind them as they stood before the mountains of writings and the shadow of the brilliant girl they once knew. The air hung thick with the smell of paper and ink. Hidden behind books upon the desk was a cauldron of green liquid. Both Harry and Ginny were uncertain of what to do. Hermione, however, seemed more sure.

"You're back," she said without looking up or the quill pausing.

Ginny looked momentarily surprise but answered, "Yes Hermione. We're back."

The silence hung thick in the air. "Well?" Hermione asked at last looking up and setting the book aside.

"Well…"Harry repeated.

"Why are you back?"

"We wanted to tell you that we are back," Ginny said walking further into the room.

"Have you brought me the information I need?"

"No."

"Then why did you come back?" Hermione asked her anger rising as she stood.

"We wanted t – " Ginny started.

"You know how important that information is to us!" Hermione said sweeping across the room so quickly it appeared to Harry that she had simply Apparated to directly in front of Ginny. "Ron has already found the missing link between my information. All I needed was your – "

Ginny saw her vision swim as a tear leaked from her eye. "Oh, Hermione…" she whispered. Hermione's face lost none of its harshness but her voice did. "Come on Ron is on the couch."

Harry and Ginny looked at the couch covered in books. "Everybody is worried about you Hermione," Ginny said.

"Why should they worry?" Hermione asked honestly.

"Because Hermione," Ginny said slowly, "Ron isn't there."

"Of course he is," Hermione said dismissively.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, looking for a place to start. "Hermione," Ginny said softly, "what are you working on?"

"Well that's a stupid question!" Hermione responded turning to look at them. " I'm looking for a way to fix all of this."

"All of what?" Harry asked.

"This." She replied simply as though it was obvious and needed not to be voiced.

"Ron," She addressed the couch, "what page was it?" A pause as though a response was being given. "Thank you."

"Hermione," Ginny stepped towards her friend, "do something for me…?"

"What?"

"Touch Ron, please just touch his hand," Ginny requested quietly.

Hermione didn't halt, "I don't have time for games."

"Touch Ron. This isn't a game, touch him Hermione." Harry replied. "Just take his hand and hold it."

Hermione's movement ceased. She looked to where 'Ron' was. She reached her hand out than yanked it back, "You're wasting time."

Harry stepped forward past Ginny to be right next to Hermione, looking at the couch. "Then take my hand. That's your choice Hermione take Ron's hand or take mine."

Hermione seemed startled at the idea of touching the hand he presented next to her. "No." She stated simply as she made to move past him.

Harry caught her arm and turned her to face him; at the same moment Hermione let out an ear piercing scream. Then crumpled and fell to the ground, silent. Ginny rushed to Hermione as Neville, Fred, Colin, Dennis, and Katie wands poised.

"What did you do?" Katie accused.

"She tried to move pass me," Harry said still in shock, "I touched her arm and..."

Neville carefully lifted Hermione and carried her to the flight of stairs to the room Hermione and Ginny shared that one summer.

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After Mrs. Weasley had a chance to examine Hermione the entire group sat waiting for an explanation. When Mrs. Weasley entered she managed a weak smile. "She is fine…physically." Dropping into her seat near George she sighed, "I believe that Harry touching her jarred her, mentally."

"Like waking someone who is sleepwalking?" Colin asked.

Mrs. Weasley nodded gravely, "I fear it was much more severe than that however."

"How so?" Harry asked.

Neville sighed taking up the story. "Since Ron's death, she has slowly been slipping into a mental state. For a time after his death it was in the pursuit of vengeance. However Lupin stole that opportunity from her when he killed Lucius. When Hermione locked herself in the library two and a half years ago she built an even larger mental wall."

"Did anybody try and prevent this?" Ginny asked.

"For the most part we didn't see it," Fred rasped, "we were all too caught up in our own grief…"

"We finally took notice the month before she locked herself in the library," George continued, "we're part of the bloody reason she locked herself in there."

"What happened when I touched her though?" Harry asked.

"You said you were trying to get her to touch Ron, so that she would she that he wasn't there," Neville asked.

Harry and Ginny nodded.

"Some part of her mind must have known it was an illusion and to touch 'Ron' would end the illusion." Mrs. Weasley said quietly, "It was safety net, emotionally… both of you," she eyed Ginny and Harry, "are in her mind like Ron is… a safe guard."

"So touching her…?"

"Was a large shock to the part of her mind that won't allow her to completely grasp the mental wall she put up."

"So why didn't one of you try that?" Harry asked.

"Because," Katie stated harshly, "we aren't dead to her."

Mrs. Weasley let out a choked sob and stood quickly. "I must check on Cho," she whispered hoarsely and ran from the room. Silence followed her exit. Ginny looked at her brothers a moment, then at Collin and Dennis, then Katie and Neville. At last she looked at Harry.

She took a breath to steady herself. "Explain it Neville." She said finally, "all of it, from when we last talked to the moment Harry and I walked through that door last night."

Neville looked resigned, "Can we at least go into a more comfortable room?"

At Ginny's nod Neville led into the sitting room. Harry and Ginny sat together on the couch. Katie and George sat together on a chair near the door. Fred resigned himself to a dark corner and a seat on the arm of a chair. Collin and Dennis sat in chairs, Dennis across from Katie and George; Colin across from Harry and Ginny.

Neville was ill-at-ease and took a moment to collect his thoughts. "After the reception ended Gram and I went to say good-bye to the mothers. As we got closer to the Burrow we heard Molly talking in a panic to Arthur. When we rounded the corner enough to hear, Gram decided that it wasn't important. Always was a proper woman, never eavesdropping." Neville sighed a little. "Hermione and Ron caught up with me then, Gabrielle was with them. They explained that you couldn't be found. We searched the property and surrounding area thoroughly well past sun-up.

"By noon, half the Order was searching for you. Molly insisted that the rest of us sleep. When we woke, we were told that there was no sign of either of you, Voldemort, Death Eaters, or any bloody thing really. All they knew was you were there at one point during the reception and gone when clean-up started.

"Hermione's initial thought was that you went to talk out your problems, but when you didn't come back… we didn't know what to think. They let us help through your birthday, Harry. Less than a week, and after that we were sent to Hogwarts to finish our educations. My seventh year, the student body was small, even some of the teachers didn't return. The only Slytherins were first and second years, there were twelve total. Gryffindor had a decent return, but we were barely more than fifty with the first years. More Ravenclaws returned than Hufflepuffs, but together they barely topped sixty students. Myself, Hermione, Ron, Seamus, and Dean took our N.E.W.T.S and graduated without incident…"

"Seamus? Hermione? Dean? Their parents let them return?" Harry asked.

Collin look thunderstruck. "Merlin, no! They were all of age, or returned to Hogwarts by whatever means necessary when they came of age. My Da' almost refused to let either me or Dennis return but I reminded him that the evils that existed wouldn't keep away just because we didn't go back."

"And," Dennis added, "that we would need to know how to fight them with their own weapons."

Neville nodded. "Ron, Hermione, and I returned to Hogwarts the following year. The first years were very few. There were more students that had graduated than there were current students. We started a defensive front. Fred, George, Charlie, Bill, Ron, Hermione, Katie, and I found and recruited as many people as we could trust…

"Trust was such a huge issue that our 'army' barely grew. We needed one that year." Neville sighed deeply. "Hogwarts was attacked…again. The students were hidden away, not allowed to fight. The job was small, only two of Voldemort's most-trusted and a few Slytherin who would have been fifth and sixth years. They didn't believe that there would be any resistance. Most were captured and turned over to the Ministry.

"We continued to collect help over time. Fourteen months after the attack on Hogwarts the Ministry was attacked. Umbridge and Fudge were killed in the attack, didn't take much to bring it down. Most of the Aurors were working for the Order or chasing their tails on leads about Dark Wizards. Just a few Council members were lost. The Wizarding world was thrown into disorganization. So we did what we could, kept things going in the War. Protected the Muggles where we could, lost Kingsley Shaklebolt in the process. We went two years without another attack. We continued to try to find help and you two, and the Order tried to keep itself together and defeat Voldemort."

"You weren't apart of the Order?" Harry asked.

George shook his head, "They wouldn't allow us to 'put ourselves in danger.' They didn't seem to realize that when they failed we would have to take over."

"We didn't notice then either," Dennis admitted quietly, "We hoped they would finish what they started and save us from having to get involved. But we prepared for the inevitable." Neville nodded at Dennis' statement.

Fred's rough voice came from the corner, "We got married during that time…"

Katie smiled and grimaced at the statement sharing a look with George. Ginny smiled, asking "Who did?"

"Us," George said giving Katie a gentle squeeze, then with a look a Fred continued, "And Fred and Alicia."

Harry watched a shamed look pass between the group "What happened?" He asked Neville. Neville looked at Fred than spared a look at Collin.

"In time," Fred responded, "First there was Luna…"

Neville swallowed a haunted look passing over his features. "When attacks started on Muggleborns and their families we scattered to get them to safety. We had quite a few and not nearly enough of us knew how to Apparate. Even though we didn't need a license we needed to be properly taught. Floo powder was out of the question, the network had been compromised. We could use brooms to get to them but after that we'd be stuck using the Knight Bus or a Port Key. And we were young… most of us just twenty…"

"I wasn't even that old!" Dennis piped up.

"One night in November we got a wind of an attack near where Hermione's parents lived. Months before Hermione and Ron had put wards in place to keep them safe. That night Luna volunteered to get them on the Knight Bus and to the Burrow. We don't know exactly what happened. When we didn't hear from her, Alicia, Fred and I went to find out…" His voice choked as the images flashed through his head.

"The house was torn apart," Fred continued his voice slow and rough, "The dark mark over the entire neighborhood. When we climbed through the debris… Alicia and I found the Grangers…both dead. We couldn't find Luna."

"We looked for days," Neville said, "helped with the clean up efforts. There was not a single person left alive on the street. Hermione and Ron buried the Grangers in a small ceremony near the Burrow…but we never saw Luna again…"

Ginny felt a tear fall unobstructed from her chin to the back of her hand for the lost of her friend's parents and Luna. She looked at Harry to find him wrestling with his emotions. He suddenly looked at her and she saw the blame in his eyes, the self accusations. Neville must have caught on.

"You can't blame yourself for anything that's happened," Neville said as he studied his young friend.

"What happened next?" Harry asked his voice tight.

Neville sighed and returned to pacing. "It was nearly three years later… we had built up a decent army, the Order was still failing to keep up with attacks across the country. Our headquarters were Hogwarts… with wasn't much of a school by then. The 'adults' were under the assumption that we were hiding and keeping ourselves out of trouble.

"Then what we were waiting for came…The attack was swift. They came late in the night, Hedwig and Fang were the first to alert us. We mounted a front, the Order arrived just before the first spell was exchanged…"

"It was a long night," Fred said quietly.

"One of the longest," George agreed. "By the end of the night we were sure of few things: Voldemort had not shown; five of the inner circle were dead along with a dozen other Death Eaters; the Order of the Phoenix was ended with the deaths of Mad-Eye Moody, Professor McGonagall, and Charlie; Hogwarts was half in ruins; and Ron was dead."

"Hermione and Ron had been pair together to watch each other's backs. When they got separated dodging a Killing curse Ron was able to get Malfoy to follow him-"

"Malfoy?!" Harry asked his rage surfacing.

Neville however continued on in an even tone, "Yes Lucius Malfoy, we haven't seen Draco since the night of the first attack on Hogwarts."

"First attack?" Ginny asked, "So he came back for his N.E.W.T.s?"

Katie look startled, "Merlin no! You were there for the first attack. The night the Death Eaters came through the cupboard, Snape and Draco Malfoy disappeared and Dumbledore died, that was the first attack on Hogwarts."

Harry looked at Neville, "You said the Order ended that night," Neville nodded, "what about Tonks, Remus, or Bill?"

"They lived, but that wasn't enough to hold the Order together."

Suddenly Mrs. Weasley was standing at the entrance to the sitting room. "That's enough."

"But Mum-" "Mrs. Weasley really-" "Come on-"

"I said enough!" silence followed her statement. "There will be no more talk of the war today, not in front of Ginny anyway."

"Mum," Ginny started.

"No! No, no, no… talk about life." Mrs. Weasley said, "Talk about magic, or family, don't talk about war. Not today. Today you and Harry are still children and for once you will act like it. Children don't know of war, and hatred, and loss. So not another word about it."

Silence followed her words as the group watched tears streak down her face.


End file.
